Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Psychology School
Traditionally applied psychological research has focused on understanding the causes of psychopathology & the evaluation of therapies aimed at alleviating psychological distress. In more recent times attention has broadened to consider psychological wellbeing as an important focus for psychologists. The field of positive psychology acknowledges that people maybe be "languishing" but not suffering from diagnosed mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. Importantly, this focus on wellbeing has attempted to identify a wide range of character strengths and virtues that promote creativity, self-compassion, flexibility, all of which can help facilitate a sense of purpose and help people to "flourish". This course will explore both the theory & practice of positive psychology.
This course introduces students to positive psychology research and interventions. It spans a variety of topics under positive psychology including: wellbeing, mindfulness, compassion, kindness, gratitude, happiness, acceptance, values, and more. Students will be given the opportunity to learn about these subjects from a theoretical and critical point of view, and also to incorporate elements into their own lives. The understanding gained from this course is applicable to a range of settings and students should find it useful in their own lives and future careers.ﾠ
TUTORIAL ATTENDANCE IS RECOMMENDED to help with a) completion of essay (worth 40%) and completion of journal (worth 20%).
Course requirements
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
PSYC1030
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The primary goal of this course is to introduce students to positive psychology, and the diverse topics within the field. Students should develop a soundﾠunderstanding of these topics in terms of key research findings, theories, interventions and methodology. Students will learn howﾠto analyse positive psychology research from a critical perspective. Importantly, students will also gain first-hand experienceﾠof the field through the use of positive psychology interventions and exercises which are designed to improve their wellbeing. As such, the course will provideﾠa balance of theoretical research and practical exercises.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the foundations of positive psychology including the research, history, key constructs and theories.
LO2.
Identify and describe a range of common positive psychology interventions
LO3.
Critique the current Positive Psychology literature
LO4.
Show understanding of the methodology used in Positive Psychology research
LO5.
Consider how Positive Psychology can be practically applied to enhance the wellbeing of individuals and groups
LO6.
Reflect on the personal impacts of various positive psychology strategies
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | Online Quiz 1 | 20% |
31/03/2025 - 2/04/2025
Quiz 1 opens at 9am and closes at 4pm. Quiz 1 opens for 3 days. |
| Essay/ Critique | Essay | 40% |
7/04/2025 4:00 pm |
| Quiz | Online Quiz 2 | 20% |
12/05/2025 - 14/05/2025
Quiz 2 opens at 9am and closes at 4pm. Quiz 2 opens for 3 days |
| Notebook/ Logbook | Positive Psychology Intervention Journal | 20% |
23/05/2025 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Online Quiz 1
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
31/03/2025 - 2/04/2025
Quiz 1 opens at 9am and closes at 4pm.
Quiz 1 opens for 3 days.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Answer 20 multiple choice questions in 30 minutes on course materials from weeks 1 to week 5. So, from the very first lecture, to the end of the tutorial in week 5 on Kindness. Content included can be drawn from the lectures, tutorials or additional required readings. The questions will be randomly selected from a larger pool of questions, and the order of the multiple-choice responses will also be randomised. This means no two students will view exactly the same quiz.
Access to the quizzes is via Blackboard at any computer that has internet access. Access to the quiz will be available for 3 days, but once you open the quiz you will need to complete it in 30 minutes. If you leave the page during the quiz you will not be able to re-enter the quiz. Further instructions and details will be provided in lectures, tutorials and on the Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
7/04/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
You are required to write an essay which mixes academic research with your personal experience of completing a positive psychology intervention.
Within the lectures and tutorials, we will describe two positive psychology variables which you can choose from to complete your essay, 1) mindfulness or 2) compassion. You are asked to select one positive variable to target and then choose one or more interventions that focus on this variable. You will evaluate the intervention by trying it on yourself over a two-week period.
A detailed description of the Essay and Marking Criteria can be accessed via Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Please submit the Essay via Blackboard by the deadline.
The Essay must be submitted via Turnitin. No e-mailed submissions will be accepted. It is the studentﾒs responsibility to ensure that the electronic submission procedure for each assessment is successfully executed by the due date. Please note the following guidelines regarding electronic submission of assessments via Turnitin:
1. Successful electronic submission of an assessment via Turnitin generates a confirmation on screen. If you do not receive such confirmation you should check your submission.
2.Take a screenshot of the Turnitin screen confirmation and retain a copy for each assessment submission.
3.You are advised to submit an assessment at least 3 hours before the deadline so as to allow for dealing with possible technical difficulties with the electronic submission process.
4. Ensure that you have submitted the correct document and that it has been fully uploaded (without missing pages).
5. In the case of a student claim that an assessment was submitted after the due date because of a technical malfunction, the only form of supporting evidence that will be considered is a screenshot of the Turnitin confirmation. No screenshots of properties or internet history will be accepted. If a student claims late submission was due to a Blackboard malfunction such as an outage, the claim must be supported by confirmation from UQ Information Technology Support unit (ITS) which will be sought by the Course Administrator.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Online Quiz 2
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
12/05/2025 - 14/05/2025
Quiz 2 opens at 9am and closes at 4pm.
Quiz 2 opens for 3 days
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Answer 20 multiple choice questions in 30 minutes on course materials from weeks 6 to week 10. Weeks 1-5, as well as weeks 12-13 are not examinable. Content included can be drawn from the lectures, tutorials or additional required readings. The questions will be randomly selected from a larger pool of questions, and the order of the multiple-choice responses will also be randomised. This means no two students will view exactly the same quiz.
Access to the quizzes is via Blackboard at any computer that has internet access. Access to the quiz will be available for 3 days, but once you open the quiz you will need to complete it in 30 minutes. If you leave the page during the quiz you will not be able to re-enter the quiz. Further instructions and details will be provided in lectures, tutorials and on the Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Positive Psychology Intervention Journal
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Notebook/ Logbook
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
23/05/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04, L05
Task description
The Journal contains weekly reflections that correspond with the positive psychology interventions we undertake in tutorials and for homework. The self-reflections should be undertaken in the week they are assigned. There are 6 weeks of Journal exercises. The self-reflection exercises involve applying positive psychology techniques to your daily living. These techniques are designed to foster wellbeing and target positive emotions, thoughts and behaviours.
Full details about the Journal are provided in a guide on Blackboard
Submission guidelines
Please submit the Journal via Turnitin on Blackboard by the deadline. No e-mailed submissions will be accepted.
It is the studentﾒs responsibility to ensure that the electronic submission procedure for each assessment is successfully executed by the due date. Please note the following guidelines regarding electronic submission of assessments via Turnitin:
1. Successful electronic submission of an assessment via Turnitin generates a confirmation on screen. If you do not receive such confirmation you should check your submission.
2.Take a screenshot of the Turnitin screen confirmation and retain a copy for each assessment submission.
3.You are advised to submit an assessment at least 3 hours before the deadline so as to allow for dealing with possible technical difficulties with the electronic submission process.
4. Ensure that you have submitted the correct document and that it has been fully uploaded (without missing pages).
5. In the case of a student claim that an assessment was submitted after the due date because of a technical malfunction, the only form of supporting evidence that will be considered is a screenshot of the Turnitin confirmation. No screenshots of properties or internet history will be accepted. If a student claims late submission was due to a Blackboard malfunction such as an outage, the claim must be supported by confirmation from UQ Information Technology Support unit (ITS) which will be sought by the Course Administrator.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29.9 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46.9 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: > |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.9 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.9 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.9 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Students who fall between the cut-offs will be rounded as per standard convention (ie: if your final percentage is on the cut off and above .95 it will be rounded up and if it is below .95 it will be rounded down).
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The lectures and tutorials in PSYC2381 complement each other and cover different materials on the same subjects. Key readings and links to online resources will be made available on the course Blackboard site. Assessment will be based on theﾠkeyﾠreadings, lecture material, and tutorials.ﾠ
PSYC2381 eLearning Blackboard site
This site contains information about the course including: this course outline, important announcements, lecture slides, tutorial materials, a student forum, assessment submission, and results. Your myUQ login and password will allow you access to the PSYC2381 Blackboard site. To access the site log onto MyUQ https://student.my.uq.edu.au/ and select 'eLearning'.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sign up for lectures and tutorials?
Yes, you do have to sign upﾠfor one tutorial and one lecture session.ﾠYou must attend the session you are signed on for.ﾠThe tutor who runs your selected tutorial is the person who will be marking your written assessment, so it is beneficial for you to get instruction directly from that person.
Should I go to all my tutorials?
Yes! Tutorials are vital to your final result and will contain information not covered in lectures. Tutorials include completing a journal focused on positive psychology interventions, which contributes to your final grade.ﾠIf you want to do well in the course, you should attend all tutorials.ﾠIt’s particularly important that you attend the tutorials dealing with the Essay. We will include a lot of practical wellbeing activities in the tutorials which will help you apply the theory to real life.
How do I contact my tutor? Can I have their email address?
Tutors will provide their contact details in the first tutorial and we will also provide them on blackboard. Try to raise questions in class as other students may have the same queries. Tutors don’t have weekly consultation times outside of tutorials but you can talk to them after class or email them to meet if needed. They will have a fixed consultation time around the assignment due date.ﾠYou can also use the Student Forum on Blackboardﾠto raise questions about course content and to communicate your queries to the tutors and other students of the course.
What if I have a legitimate reason to request an extension on my assignment?
See School of Psychology Student Guidelines for further information on how to apply for an extension online - this process is managed by the admin team, not the PSYC2381 team.
I received an overall failing grade in this course.ﾠWhat can I do?
See Failing a course for instructions
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
W1 L1: Intro to Positive Psychology & PPIs Intro to course, positive psychology, and positive psychology interventions Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
W2 L2: Mental Health and Wellbeing Reviewing what we mean by mental health and different types of wellbeing Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Tutorial |
W2 T1: Intro to Course Introduction to course and assessment. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
W3 L3: Mindfulness Experiencing and reflecting on mindfulness with links to mental health Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
W3 T2: How to Write your Essay Focus on essay structure, how to do experiment, and critical analysis Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
W4 L4: Compassion Reviewing what compassion is, as well as self-compassion, and links to mental health Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
W4 T3: Choose your Positive Construct & PPIs Decide on the positive construct you will focus on for the essay and start to consider the PPIs for your experiment Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
W5 L5: Kindness What is kindness? Do kind acts lead to increases in wellbeing? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
W5 T4: Results and Consultation This tutorial will focus on how to calculate your results from experiment, as well as frequently asked questions for the essay Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
W6 L6: Other PPIs We review several other core PPIs, including, gratitude, empathy, optimism, strengths Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
W6 T5: Journal Activity 1 Wellbeing We begin our positive psychology experiential practice and journal reflecting and planning Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
W7 L7: Emotion Systems & Wellbeing Looking at the function of threat, drive and soothing emotional systems Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Tutorial |
W7 T6: Journal Activity 2 Gratitude Experience a gratitude practice with reflection Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
W8 L8: Therapies that Promote Positivity Brief Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & Compassion Focused Therapy to help with positive experience Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
W8 T7: Journal Activity 3 Self-Compassion Experience a self-compassion practice with reflection Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MIDSEMESTER BREAK |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
W9 L9: What Makes Work Fulfilling Guest Lecturer Dr Michael Noetel will introduce Positive Psychology frameworks to help make fulfilling careers Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Tutorial |
W9 T8: Journal Activity 4 Mindfulness & Defusion Experience a mindfulness practice with reflection, as well as defusion exercises Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
W10 L10: Indigenous Mental Health and Resilience Guest lecturer on Indigenous culture and positive psychology Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
W10 T9: Journal Activity 5 Meaning and Values Experience a meaning and values exercise with reflection Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
W11 L11: LGBTQIA+ Wellbeing Guest Lecturer James Fowler on positive psychology and wellbeing for LGBTQIA+ Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
W11 T10: Journal Activity 6 Kindness Experience a kindness practice with reflection Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
W13 L12: Dark Side of PP and Course Summary A critical lens on PP and a review of the course Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: